Adventure Zines for a Backwards, post-apocalyptic America

Just when you thought America couldn't get any more Backwards...

You find yourself in a bizarre, post-apocalyptic America, where decaying structures and dwindling family lines resemble a crumbling and corrupt nation on its last leg. Meanwhile, devils emerge from dust-covered legends, and the vast American landscape threatens to swallow civilization whole.

Adventure through four regional American settings in these zines, each of which is inflected with distinct geographies and cultures of the United States and is inspired by authors of gothic horror in regional American settings.

Art by Carlos Eulefi.

What are we funding in this campaign?

#1. Two NEW adventure collections for our upcoming ttrpg settings, Backchannels (southeast) and Backwoods (northeast), with...

• Adventures by writers with lived experiences in the region

• Art by artists with lived experiences in the region

#2. The FIRST print run of our two original ttrpg adventure collections for Backwater (Deep South) and Backroads (Middle America) with...

• Updated layout

• A revised, story-first reading experience

Adventure Zines for Your Reading Pleasure

Although these zines are written for playing , they are also written for your reading pleasure. Rules and guidance for the Backwards system is non-intrusive, and the adventures can be adapted easily for other games.

Do you need a specific core book to enjoy the zines? Nope! You can pick up this zine simply to read, and you can play the adventures with any of the core books or free quickstart guides.

What do you get?

Each physical zine is 5.5" x 8.5". They will be printed in premium color on 80lb paper with a 100lb soft-touch cover. Each collection contains at least 2 full adventures, as well as 2 one-shot adventures.

Please note: shipping will be collected after the campaign.

Featured Contributors

Backwoods Adventures

Nala J. Wu  is a proud QTPOC art director (All the Witches, Evil Hat Productions) and award-winning Illustrator (Coyote & Crow, Apocalypse Keys, Metal Weave Games) who works full-time in TTRPGs. They grew up in Massachusetts and are excited to contribute to this project! Links:  @naladraws,   BlueSky ,   Portfolio .

Matt Joro is a writer, game designer, and TTRPG influencer from Boston, MA. He is the owner of Gemmed Firefly, a luxury shirt store for nerdy lifestyles, and can be found on most platforms as @Dungeonglitch. Links: @DungeonGlitch, Website.

Backchannels Adventures

John Gregory is a Charleston-based writer who has written for Lowcountry Crawl , Bridgetown , Gourmet Street , the Book of Gaub and more! Links: @Odd_Johnisms, Website.

Vincent Cecil is a Florida based illustrator and graphic novelist who has worked on TTRPGs like Into the Motherlands and Gallant and True. Links: @vincent1vintage, Website.

Backwards Tabletop

Backwards Tabletop is the indie publisher of the Backwards: Regional American Gothic Horror series, created by Asa Donald and Alex Johnson.  

Asa Donald (he/him) does writing, layout, and project management for the Backwards series, based out of the upper-Midwest. He has written the additional adventures for Backchannels and Backwoods Adventures.

Other Rewards—BIG, Standalone Books

Our big, definitely-not-zine books will also be available during the campaign for those who want them. All of these books are standalone, meaning they include the entire system and regional setting for your to use. These books are available in their limited release cover, which is only available during our crowdfunding campaigns.

Each of the standalone books of the Backwards series describes a region of post-apocalyptic America—a "ward," and player-characters take on the role of adventurers, tasked with protecting their regions from supernatural horrors.

• Written in part by local authors with illustrations bylocal artists and reviewed by sensitivity readers with lived experience in these regions.
• With three limited release covers by Isabel Burke and one by Marlowe Lune, available only in our crowdfunding campaigns.

In each books, you'll find an original d20 game system with...

• Character-forward designthat orients each character in the setting and allows for extensivecustomization.
• Survival-horror mechanicsthat increase the stakes for these characters: vulnerable health and stress mechanics, an emphasis on skills and resource management.
• Flexible gameplaywith options for exploration, investigation, and combat.

Character sheets in printable PDF and on Roll20for those who prefer automated rolls.

Backchannels and Backwoods were funded on Kickstarter in 2023 and are currently in development. Along with the new adventures, they will be finished this year.

Shipping

Shipping will be collected after the campaign and closer to fulfillment.

Shipping outside of the U.S. is DDU: VAT/Customs are not covered in our shipping collections.

Shipping estimates

U.S. Averages

• Adventure Zines: 1 Book $7.38; 2 Books $9.67; 3 Books $11.98; 4 Books $12.81.
• Core + Adventure: 1 Set $12.81; 2 Sets $16.99; 3 Sets $22.60; 4 Sets: $32.94.

Canada (DDU)

• Adventure Zines: 1 Book $13.92; 2 Books $16.44; 3 Books $18.77; 4 Books $20.84.
• Core + Adventure: 1 Set $20.84; 2 Sets $29.54; 3 Sets $47.53; 4 Sets: $47.53.

United Kingdom (DDU)

• Adventure Zines: 1 Book $10.87; 2 Books $14.15; 3 Books $18.77; 4 Books $20.84.
• Core + Adventure: 1 Set $20.42; 2 Sets $34.33; 3 Sets $47.08; 4 Sets: $47.53.

For regions not listed, please feel free to reach out to us, and we can give you a shipping estimate.

Timeline

• Backwater Adventures and Backroads Adventures were completed in 2022 and 2023, respectively. The adventures and their layout were revised and edited in late 2023. They are complete.
• Backchannels Adventures and Backwoods Adventures are in progress. At the latest, they will be complete by the autumn of 2024.

I hope to deliver digital and physical items no later than the end of 2024 and before the holiday shipping delays begin.

Risks and challenges

I have funded and fulfilled two Kickstarters, both of which were finished on time. Currently, I am managing our third Kickstarter, which successfully funded late 2023. My goal is to fulfill that project and this project (Adventures) at the same time.

I have a successful track record of completing projects, and this project will be the smallest that I've taken on.